EFFECT OF COCAINE-RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULI ON THE SPONTANEOUS ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM IN POLYDRUG ABUSERS

Relationships between the spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG), self -reports of cocaine craving, and cerebral glucose metabolism, determin ed using 2-[F-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose and positron emission tomogr aphy, were assessed during the presentation of either neutral or cocai ne-related environmental stimuli. In cocaine users but not non-drug-ab using controls, EEG power in the alpha(1) and alpha(2) frequency bands was significantly lowered during presentation of the drug-related sti muli when compared with the neutral test session. Decreases in alpha, power were negatively correlated with increases in global glucose meta bolism but were not correlated with either the time course or the magn itude of craving throughout the 30-min test session. Although EEG desy nchronization is related to global brain metabolism, the difference in the time courses between EEG power and craving suggests that self-rep orts of cue-elicited cocaine craving do not simply reflect increases i n the state of cortical arousal. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.